Dispensing cap

ABSTRACT

A top of or for a cup or mug for containing a flowable substance therein. The top includes a covering body arranged to cover the cup or mug, with the body having a peripheral part with a trough-opening for an outflow of flowable substance and with an air through-opening for an inflow of air. The top also includes a lid movable relative to the covering body between an open position for allowing this outflow and this inflow, and a closed position for preventing them, the lid having a first part and a second part for obturating in the closed position the outflow through-opening and the inflow through-opening, respectively. These inflow and outflow through-openings are located opposite to one another on the peripheral part of the covering body. The lid extends in the closed position from adjacent the inflow through-opening across the covering body to adjacent the outflow through-opening.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to field of liquid receptacles suitablefor transportation and for dispensing liquid and other flowablematerials whenever and wherever needed. In particular, the presentinvention relates to travelling cups or mugs having a top or cap with aclosable opening for dispensing beverages such as cappuccinos, milkycoffees, café latte and macchiato, chocolate and other hot beveragesincluding soups and liquid baby food.

BACKGROUND ART

Travelling cups or mugs for drinking with a dispensing cap, are wellknown in the art. Typically, such a cap has a covering body extendingover the mug's or cup's mouth with an opening allowing the passage ofliquid when a user wants to drink. When the travelling cup or mug is notbeing used to drink, this opening can be obturated by a movable lidconnected to the covering body.

Examples of covering bodies with a movable lid for dispensing liquidfrom a container are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,950,848, U.S. Pat. No.5,551,607, U.S. Pat. No. 5,865,353, U.S. Pat. No. 5,495,015, U.S. Pat.No. 5,417,350, U.S. Pat. No. 5,348,201, U.S. Pat. No. 5,251,793, U.S.Pat. No. 4,911,337, U.S. Pat. No. 4,899,902, U.S. Pat. No. 4,887,747,U.S. Pat. No. 4,742,928, U.S. Pat. No. 4,703,873, U.S. Pat. No.4,632,266, U.S. Pat. No. 4,625,898, U.S. Pat. No. 4,399,928, U.S. Pat.No. 4,124,151 and EP 0 078 322.

In particular, U.S. Pat. No. 5,551,607 discloses a container with adispensing cap. The dispensing cap is pivotally mounted on a baseattached to the container, the base having an outflow through-openingthat can be opened and closed by the dispensing cap. The pivotalrotation of the dispensing cap is controlled by a trigger and regulatedby a guide wall member, which are arranged to retain the pivotable capin an open position until a user manually moves the cap into the closedposition.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,899,902 discloses a lid for a liquid container that hasa liquid spout with a cover adapted to fit over the spout in frictionfit relationship that can be removed and refitted single-handed. It isinter-alia mentioned that the lid may further include a small apertureor hole to release built-up air pressure.

The use of such small additional apertures for the inlet of air whileliquid is dispensed via the spout is known to facilitate the dispensingof liquid. However, such air inlets involve the risk of unwanted liquidspills therethrough, especially during drinking.

There is therefore still a need to provide a reliable system that issimple for carrying a beverage and handy and reliable for drinking.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, the invention relates to a top of or for a container forcontaining a flowable substance. The top may be a wall integral with acontainer or typically a removable cap. The container may be of anykind, for example with an insulation, typically of the thermos type. Ina preferred embodiment, the container is a drinking mug or cup,typically with a bottom, a generally upright sidewall and a generallycircular mouth that is fit to be covered by such a top.

Typically a cup or mug for drinking has a capacity in the range of 50 to1000 ml, e.g. 150 to 500 ml, and an upper diameter, e.g. the mouth ofthe cup or mug, in the range of 3 to 15 cm, in particular 5 to 10 cm.

The top has: a covering body arranged to cover the container, the bodyhaving a peripheral part with a trough-opening for an outflow offlowable substance from the container and with an air through-openingfor an inflow of air into the container; as well as a lid movablerelative to the covering body between an open position for allowing suchoutflow and inflow, and a closed position for preventing such outflowand inflow.

The lid has a first part and a second part for obturating in the closedposition the outflow through-opening and the inflow through-opening,respectively.

The flowable material may typically be a fluid such as a beverage, inparticular hot or cold beverages such as coffee, tea, hot chocolate,milk-based beverages, soft or alcoholic drinks, lemonade, soups, babyfood, etc.

In accordance with the invention, the inflow through-opening and theoutflow through-opening are located opposite to one another on theperipheral part of the covering body, the lid extending in the closedposition from adjacent the inflow through-opening across the coveringbody to adjacent the outflow through-opening.

Hence, the spaced apart opposite positioning of these through-openingson the top reduces the risks of undesirable spills of flowable materialvia the air inflow through-opening during the dispensing of flowablematerial. Furthermore, the combination of the obturating sealing partson the same lid member allows simultaneous opening and closing of thethrough-openings by the same lid member.

The lid may be pivotally mounted on the covering body, in particularadjacent the inflow thorough-opening. Typically, the lid has a firstextremity that is pivotally mounted on the covering body and a secondextremity arranged to be secured against the covering body in the closedposition, the second extremity having in particular a protrusion or arecess cooperating with a corresponding respective recess or protrusionof the covering body for securing the lid against the covering body inthe closed position. Securing the lid in the closed position may forinstance be achieved via a clipping, snap-fit, hooking, press-button orother equivalent fastening mechanism.

In an advantageous embodiment, the lid in its open position is arrangedto extend down along a generally upright wall of the container on whichthe covering body is located, the container wall being adjacent to thecovering body. Hence, when the inflow and outflow through-openings areopen, e.g. for drinking, a user may safely hold the lid against thecontainer wall with the same hand he uses for gripping the containeritself. Therefore, to avoid that the open lid moves freely and possiblybothers the user while drinking, no separate mechanism is needed tosecure the lid in its open position, the open lid and the containerbeing held simultaneously single-handed by the user.

The covering body typically has a base. The peripheral part of the bodymay comprise one or more outward protrusions extending from the base,the outflow through-opening being in particular located on an outwardprotrusion. The inflow through-opening may be located on the base. Theoutflow through-opening may be configured to fit human lips tofacilitate drinking via the opening.

For instance, the outflow through-opening is located on an annularoutward protrusion. The annular outward protrusion may generally form anopen ring on the covering body with facing ends. The lid can bepivotally mounted on the covering body between these facing ends and/orthe inflow through-opening may be located on the base between thesefacing ends. In this manner, the pivotable connecting part of the lidmay have an outer surface that is generally flush with the annularprotrusion so as to close the corresponding loop on the covering body.Hence, unwanted hooking of the top with its environment is minimised byavoiding any part that may stick out when the lid is in its closedposition.

In its closed position, the lid normally extends diameterally across thecovering body, from the peripheral part on one side of the coveringbody, via the middle of the covering body to the facing opposite side ofthe peripheral part.

The lid may have a rigid structural member and at least one resilientlydeformable obturating member for obturating the inflow and/or theoutflow through-openings, optionally the resiliently deformableobturating member is generally coextensive with the rigid structuralmember. The lid can have a plug or protrusion, in particular aresiliently deformable plug or protrusion, for obturating the inflow orthe outflow through-opening. In particular, the lid may have a pair ofsuch plugs or protrusions for obturating the through-openings. A portionof the lid may form a cap for covering a tubularly protruding outlet orinlet forming one of such through-openings in the covering body. Variousconfigurations may be contemplated to shape the through-openings in thecovering body and the cooperating obturating parts of the lid.

In a first embodiment of the invention, the top is removably securableon a corresponding container, in particular by screwing or force fittingthereof on the container. In a second embodiment of the invention, thetop is integral with the container, the container having in particular aremovable bottom for refilling thereof. It is also possible to use theoutflow through-opening of the covering body for refilling thecontainer.

A further aspect of the invention concerns a container that has a top asdescribed above, in particular a mug or cup having such a top fordispensing a beverage contained in the mug or cup.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described with reference to the schematicdrawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a cross-sectional view of a container with a top accordingto the invention; and

FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of part of the container with itstop shown in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In FIGS. 1 and 2, a removable top 1 with a lid 20 is shown fitted onto acontainer 2 in the form of a mug, for containing a flowable materialsuch as coffee, tea, hot or cold chocolate or a soft drink. In FIG. 1,lid 20 is shown in its closed position on top 1. In FIG. 2, lid 20 is inits open position.

Container 2 has insulating walls formed of a generally upright outersidewall 3 extending from a bottom 5 and joined at the upper end 8 to aninner wall that is generally u-shaped in cross-section. An insulatingcavity 7 extends between inner wall 4 on the one hand, and sidewall 3and bottom 5 on the other hand. Mouth 9 of container 2 is generallycircular.

Furthermore, container 2 has a generally frusto-conical inner rim 6 intowhich removable top 1 is force-fitted as described in greater detailsbelow.

Removable top 1 has a covering body 10 that extends over substantiallythe entire mouth 9 of container 2. Furthermore, top 1 has an elongatedlid 20 that has a first extremity 20 a which is pivotally mounted oncovering body 10. Lid 20 has a general shape of a strip profiled to fitthe shape of covering body 10 when lid 20 is in its closed position.

Covering body 10 has an outflow through-opening 11 for the outflow ofliquid from container 2 and an inflow through-opening 12 for the inflowof air into container 2 to compensate for the outflowing liquid. Outflowthrough-opening 11 is formed on an annular ring 13 protruding outwardsfrom base 14. Ring 13 is open and has two facing ends 15, one of whichbeing shown in FIG. 2. Inflow through-opening 12 is located on base 14inbetween ends 15 of annular ring 13.

Lid 20 is movable in rotation around its extremity 20 a inbetween ends15 of ring 13. Lid 20 is rotatable from an open position, as shown inFIG. 2, for allowing the outflow via opening 11 and the inflow viaopening 12, to a closed position, as shown in FIG. 1, for preventingsuch outflow and inflow. For this purpose, lid 20 has a plug 21 forobturating outflow through-opening 11 and a protrusion 22 for obturatinginflow through-opening 12 when lid 20 is in its closed position.

Inflow through-opening 11 and outflow through-opening 12 are locatedopposite to one another on a peripheral part of the covering body 10,lid 20 extending in the closed position from adjacent inflowthrough-opening 12 across covering body 10 to adjacent outflowthrough-opening 11.

Lid 20 has a second extremity 20 b arranged to be secured againstcovering body 10 in the closed position. Second extremity 20 b has aprotrusion 23 cooperating with a corresponding respective recess 16 inring 13 of covering body 10 for securing lid 20 against the coveringbody 10 in the closed position. In its closed position, lid 20 extendsdiametrally across covering body 10, i.e. from inbetween ends 15 of ring13, over a middle part of base 14 and over ring 13. Base 14 has a recess14 a for receiving lid 20 in the closed position.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, lid 20 in its open position is arranged toextend down along generally upright wall 3 of container 2. Hence, when auser holds container 2 for drinking, e.g. single-handed, he may at thesame time secure movable lid 20 against wall 3 by properly seizingcontainer 2 with lid 20.

Lid has a rigid structural member 25 and at least one resilientlydeformable obturating member 26. Obturating member 26 incorporates plug21 and protrusion 22 for obturating inflow and outflow through-openings11,12. Resiliently deformable obturating member 26 is generallycoextensive with rigid structural member 25.

Top 1 is removably securable on container 2. For this purpose, coveringbody 10 has a circular peripheral upright wall 17 that extends down intomouth 9 of container 2. Wall 17 has an integral peripheral outwardlyextending flange 18 for the horizontal proper positioning of top 1against inner rim 6 of container 2. Base 14 of covering body 10 extendshorizontally over inner rim 6 for positioning covering body 10 generallyabove mouth 9. A sealing ring 19, e.g. made of an elastic or elastomermaterial, is located between peripheral wall 17 and inner rim 6 so as toprovide an assembly impervious to the flowable material held incontainer 2. Typically, sealing ring 19 is mounted onto peripheral wall17 and urged against inner rim 6 when top 1 is force-fitted on container2.

In a variation, it is of course possible to provide correspondingthreads on the rim of the container and on the top to be able to screwthe top onto or into the container. Alternatively, it is also possibleto provide a top part that is integral with the container and anarrangement for filling and refilling the mug with flowable material,e.g. via the outflow through-opening or via a separate dedicated inletor via the bottom of the container that can be fitted with a separablefoot.

1.-15. (canceled)
 16. A top of or for a cup or mug for containing a flowable substance therein, the top comprising: a covering body arranged to cover the cup or mug opening, the body having a peripheral part that includes a through-opening for an outflow of flowable substance from the cup or mug and an air through-opening for an inflow of air into the cup or mug; and a lid movable relative to the covering body between an open position for allowing the outflow and inflow, and a closed position for preventing the outflow and inflow, with the lid having a first part and a second part for obturating in the closed position the outflow through-opening and the inflow through-opening, respectively, wherein the inflow through-opening and the outflow through-opening are located opposite to one another on the peripheral part of the covering body, the lid extending in the closed position from adjacent the inflow through-opening across the covering body to adjacent the outflow through-opening.
 17. The top of claim 16, wherein the lid is pivotally mounted on the covering body adjacent the inflow through-opening.
 18. The top of claim 17, wherein the lid has a first extremity that is pivotally mounted on the covering body and a second extremity arranged to be secured against the covering body in the closed position.
 19. The top of claim 17, wherein the second extremity has a protrusion or a recess cooperating with a corresponding respective recess or protrusion of the covering body for securing the lid against the covering body in the closed position.
 20. The top of claim 16, wherein the lid in its open position is arranged to extend down along a generally upright wall of the cup or mug, which wall is adjacent the covering body so that during use for drinking, the cup or mug may be held and the lid may be secured against the wall single-handed.
 21. The top of claim 16, wherein the covering body comprises a base and wherein the peripheral part of the body comprises one or more outward protrusions extending from the base
 22. The top of claim 21, wherein the outflow through-opening is located on an outward protrusion.
 23. The top of claim 21, wherein the inflow through-opening is located on the base.
 24. The top of claim 21, wherein the outflow through-opening is located on an annular outward protrusion.
 25. The top of claim 24, wherein the annular outward protrusion generally forms an open ring on the covering body with facing ends.
 26. The top of claim 25, wherein the lid is pivotally mounted on the covering body between the facing ends.
 27. The top of claim 25, wherein the inflow through-opening is located on the base between the facing ends.
 28. The top of claim 16, wherein the lid extends, in the closed position, diametrically across the covering body.
 29. The top of claim 16, wherein the lid has a rigid structural member and at least one resiliently deformable obturating member for obturating the inflow or the outflow through-openings, with the resiliently deformable obturating member optionally being generally coextensive with the rigid structural member.
 30. The top of claim 16, wherein the lid has a resiliently deformable plug or protrusion for obturating the inflow or the outflow through-opening.
 31. The top of claim 16, which is removably securable on the cup or mug by screwing or force fitting thereon.
 32. A cup or mug in combination with the top of claim
 16. 33. The cup or mug of claim 32 which is integral with the top, wherein the cup or mug has a removable bottom for filling or refilling. 